Automatic ribbon reverse



Jan. 19 1926.

G, F. HANDLEY AUTOMATIC RIBBON REVERSE Filed Oct. 29

G. F. HANDLEY AUTOMATIC RIBBON REVERSE Jan. 19, 1926. 1,570,218

Filed Oct. 29, 1924 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

1 UNITED STATE GEORGE HANDLEY, OF GLENDALE, YORK, ASSIGNOR '1O ROYAL TYPEWBITEB COMPAN INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

auromerrc RIBBON anvnnsn.

Application To-all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. HANDLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Glendale; in the county of Queens and State of New York, have .invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Ribbon Reverse, of which the follow ing is a specification,

The invention relates broadly to devices for reversing the feed of the ribbon when one spool is substantially empty, and more specifically to means operated by a projection carried by the ribbon. It is illustrated in connection with the portable Royal typewriter, but it is to be noted that it can be employed with other typewritingmachines or with other types of machines wherein a ribbon is fed step by step through the operation of keys or equivalent parts. 7 An object of the invention is to provide such a ribbon reverse which will operate by a very slight strain upon the ribbon and in which this slight strain is placed upon the ribbon for only a short time. i I

Another object of the invention is to'provide means whereby the element enga by the ribbon projection has a straight line movment.

A" further object is yielding connection in the reversing meanswhich in connection with lost motion devices permits the ribbon to feed during the act of reversal.

Other [objects will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims. i

In the drawings: l Figure 1 is a front elevation of the ribbon spools, driving and reversing means, with parts in section, showing the parts in the position which they occupyduring the normal travel of the ribbon. I Figure2 is, a topplan View.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of. the reversing mechanism at one side of the machine showing the parts, in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in the position to which they are moved upon'reversal. Figure 4 is a similar view of a portion of Figure 3 with the parts shown in the position at the beginning of the reversing movement.v

'gear or worm,

the provision of a rotate in the arms 9 and gitudinally therein.

shafts dependent upon which filed October 29, 1924. Serial No. 746,577.

5 PATENT OFFICE.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the parts in normal position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the spiral showing the cooperating pawl in normal position in dotted lines, and a shifted position of the gear in dotted lines.

Fi re 7 is a top plan view of the parts pf Figure 3 with all parts in normal posiion.

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing in addition to the reversing mechanism the means for giving the driving shaft step by step movement.

The ty ewriting machine illustrated includes a rame A, type bar so ent B, t e guideC, ribbon vibrator D, i lhten X d the other usual instrumentalities of a typewriting machine. So far as the present invention is concerned these may be of any desired character. Ribbon spools E are enclosed in cups F and mounted on shafts 1 supported in offset arms 2 and 3 of a bracket 4 attached to the type bar segment. Fastened to the lower end of each shaft 1 is a bevel gear 5 with one of which meshes a-bevel gear Get the right hand side of the machine and with the other'of which meshes a similar bevelgear. 7 at the. other side of the machine, this gear facing in opposite direction to the gear 6. The gears 6 and 7 are fast on a. carried by. downturned arms 9 of the arms 3 of the bracket 4. The shaft 8' is free to may be moved lon- Near the right hand end the shaft has fast thereon a large ratchet wheel 10 with fine teeth which are engaged by a pawl 11 pivotally connected at 12 to a universal bar 13 which is operated at eachdepression of a type key. A spring l t draws this pawl into engagement with the ratchet, and a holding pawl .15 prevents reverse rotation of the shaftv 8. During printing the pawl 11 will constantly operate to rotate the which rotation will be transmitted shaft 8,

or the other of the ribbon spool to one in mesh withits cooperative vel gear 5. So far as the reversing mechanism constituting the subject matter of the invention is ear 6 or 7.is

concerned, the driving shaft 8 may be given its regular motion in any old or desired manner.

Adjacent the bevel gear 6 the shaft 8 is provided with a collar having two grooves 16 and a detent 17 engages one or the other of these grooves 'to hold the shaft 8 in its desired longitudinal position. This detent is in the form of a plunger carried in a housing 18 supported by the bracket 4 and urged outwardly by a spring 19. When the shaft is automatically moved endwise by means hereinafter described, the spring detent acts to complete the shiftin movement quickly as it moves over the dividing ridge between the two grooves.

As the ribbon G passes from one spool to the other it moves through a guide 20 adjacent each spool and through the usual vibrator. Near each end the ribbon is provided with a projection or obstruction 21 which is too large to pass through the guide 20. This guide has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion provided with a slot 22 which is guided by a headed screw 23 carried by.an arm 24 of the bracket 4. The outer end of this portion is pivoted at 25 to the upper arm 26 of a bell crank lever ivoted at 27 to a projecting arm 28 of the racket 4. The whole guide member 20 therefore has substantially straight line movement when engaged by the ribbon projection 21. It therefore does not in any way interfere with the regular movement of the ribbon.

The lower arm 29 of the bell crank lever 30 is provided at its outer end with a shouldered screw 31 which works in a slot 32 in the upper end of a vertically arranged pawl member 33. There is no positive connection between the bell crank lever 30 and the pawl member 33, but a spring 34 attached at one end to an ear 35 on the bell crank lever and at its other end to an ear 36 on the pawl member provides a yielding connection between the two parts. The bell crank lever 30 is itself returned to the normal position of Figure 3 by a spring 37 attached at one end to an ear 38 of the bracket 4 and at its other .end to a short arm 39 on the bell crank lever.

The lower end of the pawl member 33 is guided in an opening in a plate 40 attached to the machine frame. :The pawl member 33 has near its lower end an ofl'setpawl 41 adapted to coact with a spiral or worm gear 42 fixed to the shaft8. This gear has a large number of spirals in order to insure positive engagement between the gear and the'pawl 41 which has the peculiar form clearly shown in Figure 6.

The reversing mechanism is duplicated at opposite sides of the machine but reversely arranged in order that operation of the same will move the shaft 8 alternately in opposite directions. The operation thereof is believed to be clear from the foregoin description but may i as follows.

' When the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the ribbon G is being fed from the spool at the left hand side of the machine to the one at the right hand side, since the gears 5 and 6 are in engagement while the corresponding gears 5 and 7 are disengaged. Morever the pawls 41 at both sides of the machine are out of engagement with their respective spiral or worm gears 42. Just before the ribbon becomes exhausted from the left hand spool, the projection 21 thereon will come into engagement with the fork of the guide 20 and continue-d progress of the ribbon will slide this guide in a substantially right line direction to the dotted line position of Figure 3. As soon as this movement begins the bell crank lever 30 will be rocked about its pivot 27 raising the lower arm 29 thereof. Through thespring 34 this will lift the pawl member 33 bringing. the pawl 41 into engagement with the spiral gear 42 at the left hand side of the machine. As soon .as the pawl and gear engage the continued rotation of the shaft 8 and gear 42 which takes place step by step at each depression of a printing key as previously described, will cause the shaft 8 to move endwise. After the pawl 41 engages the gear 42 the continued movement of the ribbon and guide 20 is permitted by the yielding of the spring 34, the headed screw 31 on the arm 29 working in the slot 32 of the pawl member 33. In this manner no great strain is placed upon the ribbon and its endwise feeding movement continues until it is reversed.

As soon as the detent 17 rides over the dividing ridge between the grooves 16, it will snap down into the left hand groove under the influence of ,the spring 19 and complete the endwise shifting of the shaft quickly, the shaft moving to the dotted line position of Figure 1 and the gear 7 and spiral gear 42 at the left hand side moving to the dotted line position of Figure 3. The gears 5 and 7 are now in engagement and the rotation of the shaft 8 is therefore communicated to the ribbon spool shaft 1 at the left hand side of the machine and the ribbon G will now be wound upon the ribbon spool at this side. Vhen the reversal is completed and the shaft 8- has moved to the dotted line position, the spiral gear 42 at the left hand side of the machine has moved .out of engagement with its cooperating pawl 41, so that although the bell crank lever 30 and the ribbon guide 20 are still in the dotted line position of Figures 3 and 4, the re be briefly recapitulate I hausted from the right hand spool, the

pawlfand worm.

versing mechanism is out of operation. As

the ribbon feeds toward the left the springs 34 and 37 will return the parts to normal position. When the ribbon has been nearly exeration above described will be repeated,

moving the shaft 8 back to the Figure 1 position.

The parts are all very light and their ribbon begins immediately. The various springs may be provided with tension adjusting means if this appears advisable, but in view of the light weight of the parts and ease of operation this appears unnecessary in the present construction. The straight line movement of the ribbon guide 20 preserves the same position and direction of feed of the ribbon during the reversing operation. W Y

The drawings show various parts of the machine, such as platen, key levers, etc.,' which have not been described, since they form no part of the present invention and are merely indicated to show the general relation of the ribbon mechanism to the remainder of the machine. Obviously various changes may be made without departing.

from the spirit of the invention, in material, precise construction and arrangement of parts, and character of the machine to which the reversing mechanism is applied, and it is to be understood that the invention is to be regarded as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprismg a ribbon spool shaft, a (lIlVlIlg' shaft mounted for longitudinal movement to be connected" to or disconnected from the ribbon spool shaft, normally disengaged devices for giving the driving shaft said longibonspool shaft, a normally disengaged pawl 1 and worm for giving the driving shaft said longitudinal movement, and ribbon operated means for engaging said pawl and worm, said means including constant but yielding connections which permit the trav clof the ribbon after the engagement'of the 3. Ribbon reversing mechanism compris mounted of the ribbonafter v the travel of the ribbon after the engagemg a ribbon spool'shaft, -.a driving'shaft j 'for'longitudinal movement to be for engaging said pawl and worm. said operated by" the sliding movement of theguide for engaging said devices, said means 1 including yielding connections which permit the travel 'of the ribbon after the engagement of said devices.

4. Ribbon reversing mechanism compris ing a ribbon spool shaft, a driving shaftmounted for longitudinalv movement to be connected to or disconnected from the ribbon spool shaft, a normally disengaged pawl and worm for giving the driving shaft said longitudinal movement, a ribbon guide given a sliding movement by the ribbOn, means operated by the sliding movement of the guide for engaging the pawl and worm, said means including yielding connections, which permit the travel of the .ribbon after the engagement of said pawl and. worm.-

5. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft,-, driving means therefor adapted to be connected to or dis connected from the ribbonspool shaft, normally disengaged devices for effecting said connection, and ribbon operated means for engaging said devices, said means including constant but yielding connections which permit the travel of the ribbon after, the en-' gagement of said devicesand F (3. Ribbon reversing mechanism compris ribbon after the engagement of the pawl and worm. v

7. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprismg a-rrbbon spool'shaft, driving means therefor adapted to be connected to or disconnected from the ribbon spool shaft, noimally disengaged devices for connecting said connection, a ribbon guide-given a sl ding movement by the ribbon, and means operated'by the sliding movement of theguide I for engaging said devices, said means ineluding yielding connections which permit 1 ment of said devices.

8. Ribbon; "reversing mechanism comprismg a ribbon spool shaft,driv1ng means ated by the sliding movement of the guide therefor adapted to be connected to .or dis- 'connectedfrom said shaft, a normally dis engag'ed pawl and worm for effecting said connection, a ribbon guidegiven a sliding movement by the ribbon, and means oper} ing a ribbon means including yielding connections which permit the travel of the ribbon after the engagement of said devices.

9. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprisspool shaft, driving means therefor adapted to be connected to and disconnected from said shaft, normally disengaged devices for effecting the connection of said driving means and shaft, a ribbon op erated guide having a sliding movement, a bell crank lever pivoted to said guide, and yielding means attached to said bell crank lever and adapted to effect the engagement of said devices.

10. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, driving means therefor adapted to be connected to and disconnected from said shaft, a normally disenengaged.

gaged pawl and worm for effecting the connection of said driving means and shaft, a ribbon operated guide having a sliding movement, a bell crank lever pivoted to said guide, and yielding means attached to said bell crank lever and adapted to eflectthe engagement of said pawl and worm.

11. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, driving means therefor adapted to be connected. to and disconnected from said shaft, a normally disengaged pawl and worm for effecting the connection of said driving means and shaft, a carrier for said pawl, a ribbon operated guide having a sliding crank lever pivoted to said guide and having a pin and slot connection with said pawl carrier, and yielding means connecting the bell crank lever and pawl carrier. the construction thus permitting movement of the ribbon after the pawl and worm havebeen 12. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, a guide operated b an obstruction on the ribbon, a pin and s 0t supporting and guiding means for said guide, and devices including a yielding member operated by the sliding movement of said guide for reversing the travel of the ribbon.

l3. Ribbon reversing mechanism compris ing a ribbon spool shaft, a slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the r bbon, a pin and slot supporting and guiding means for said guide, and devices including a bell crank lever pivotedto said guide and a yielding member operated by the sliding movement of said guide through said bell crank for reversing the travel of the ribbon.

14. Ribbon reverse mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, a slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the ribbon, a slidable pawl carrier, a pawl thereon, Ieversing means adapted to be operated by said. pawl, andiintermediate connections between the guide and pawl carrier including a yielding member.

movement, a bellslidable ribbon 15. Ribbon reverse mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, a slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the ribbon, a

. slidable pawl carrier,-a pawl thereon, reversing means adapted to be operated by said pawl, and intermediate connections including a bell crank lever and a yielding member.

16. Ribbon reverse mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, a slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the ribbon, a slidable pawl carrier, a pawl thereon, reversing means adapted to be operated. by said pawl, and intermediate connections including a bell crank lever pivoted to said guide and a yielding member.

17. Ribbon reverse mechanism comprising a ribbon spool shaft, a slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the ribbon, a slidable pawl carrier, a pawl thereon, reversing means adapted to be operated by said pawl, and intermediate connections including a bell crank lever pivoted to said guide and having pin and slot connection with said pawl carrier and a yielding member.

18. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising devices for reversing the direction of movement oft'he ribbon, a slidable ribbon guide and means separate from said guide but pivoted thereto and actuated by the sliding movement thereof for controlling the operation of said devices.

19.;Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a slidable ribbon guide, a bell crank lever pivoted to one end thereof, and means operated by the movement of said bell crank lever for reversing the feed of the ribbon.

20. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a horizontally slidable ribbon guide, a bell crank lever pivoted to one end thereof, and means operated by the movement of said bell crank lever for the ribbon. I

21. Ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a horizontally slidable ribbon guide operated by an obstruction on the ribbon as the ribbon feeds towards the printing point, a bell crank lever pivoted to one end thereof, and means operated by the movelever for reversing parts to normal position movement of the guide.

23. In'a typewriting machine, a pair of ribbon spools, a reciprocating ribbon vibrator located therebetween, two separate horizontally slidable ribbon guides, one between each spool and said vibrator, by obstructions on the ribbon guides, and means separate from but voperated by said guides for controllingthe reversal of'the ribbon feed.

24. In a visible typewriting machine, a ribbbn spool, a reciprocating ribbon vibrator, a ribbon guide between the spool and vibrator means supporting said guide for and operatedmovement in the path=of the ribbon travel, 10

of the ribbon, said means including yielding device's.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE F. I -IANDLEY. 

